Binder



C. C. CRUZAN July l2, 1938.

BINDER Filed Sept. 4, 1936 CHARLES C. CHUM/V l INVENTOR Patented July 12, 1938 PATENT OFFICE BINDER Charles C. Cruzan,

Poughkeepsie, N. Y., assigner to Trussell Manufacturing Company, Poughkeepsie, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application September 4, 1936, Serial No. 99,350v

12 Claims.

This invention relates to binders generally. Special objects of the invention are to `provide a ring form of binder which, for a given size of ring will hold a maximum ofleaves and will hold them securely with closely spaced rings; to provide a binder construction in which the rings may be readily released to enable removal or insertion of leavesand'to provide a binder possessing such characteristics which will be rela- A tively simple and inexpensive in construction and attractive in appearance.

Other objects and the novel features of construction, combinations and relations of parts by which such objects are attained are set forth,

l5 or will appear in the course of the following specification.

The drawing accompanying and forming part of the specification illustrates one practical embodiment of the invention, but it will be appreciated that changes in construction may be made Vall within the intent of the invention as covered in the claims hereinafter.

Fig. 1 is an inside view of the binder in closed position with the leaves and cover construction broken away;

/ Fig, 2 is an enlarged, broken, sectional view of the binder-inclosed position; v

Fig. 3 is an enlarged, broken, longitudinal sec. tional detail as online 3`3 of Fig. 1 but with the binder in the open or released position;

Fig. 4 is a broken perspective view illustrating the parts in separated relation;

Fig. 5 is an end view bf the binder parts in the released relation.

In the form of the invention here shown the binder is made up of an outer, holiowed or concaved back plate member 1, an inner, similarly holiowed, opposed back plate member 8 and open binder rings 9 having' relatively separated ends IU-I I connected together and held between oppo- '40 site edge portions of said back plate members.

The outer back plate 1 is shown as having bearing lugs I2 struck inwardly therefrom, leaving openings I3 and the inner back plate 8 is shown s as transversely slotted at Il to slide over said bearing lugs toward and away from the outer plate.

Journalled inthe openings I6 in the bearing lugs I2 is a rock shaft I6 having at intervals the relatively angled or cranked portions I1 to thrust against the adjacent face of the inner back plate. An angularly projecting handle I8 at one end of this shaft serves as a lever for rocking the shaft to thrust the inner plate to- 55 ward the outer plate or release it for gripping or releasing the ends of the binder rings.

' Flat springs I9 are shown secured on the inner face of the outer back member having bent ends 20 in line with the bearing lug openings I3, pressso ing inwardly against the inside back plate 8.

To longitudinally locate and retain the rock shaft inv its bearings the same is shown in Figs. 1 and 5 as having lugs or key elements 2I struck therefrom at opposite sides of one of the bearing lugs I2.

To direct the open rings longitudinally in between the back plates, the latter are indicated in Figs. 1 and 5 as having flared guiding portions 22.

In operation the rock shaft may be turned in one direction to throw the crank portions I1 away from the inside back plate, as in Fig. 3, to permit the springs I9 to thrust the inner plate away from the outer back plate and cause' the ends of the open rings to be released from the grip of the two plates substantially as shown in Fig. 5. .When thus released the rings carryingthe leaves 23 may be slipped downwardly in Fig. 1, to free the rings and' leaves vfrom the back plates and clear of the cover structure 24. The leaves may then be slipped off or engaged over the open ends of the rings to any desired extent.

In the reversalof the operation described the o'pen ends of the rings maybe slipped up between the separated back plates through the entering guide,` 22 and the rock shaft be turned back to the Fig. 2 position to grip and clamp the ends of thel rings between the edges of the back plates, where the rings will then be firmly held until the rock shaft is turned to release the same. In practice the rock shaft may be turned past theA dead center position of the cranked portions vso as to Abecome locked in such position, or,.if

' desired, a suitable form of locking means may be provided to retain the rock shaft in this securing position.

The binder rings are shown as formed from a continuous length of wire bent in zig-zag fashion to form closely spaced,'parallel strand open ring elements of substantially c-shape. This openv substantially elliptical C form of ring will hold a maximum of sheets for a particular ring size and the openings at the back permit the leaves to be added or taken out with the greatest ease.

The rings being lclosely spaced, as indicated in Fig. 1, will hold a thickbody of leaves and the substantially elliptical shape provides a relatively flat form of arc desirable for holding the thick mass of leaves in alignment. 'I'he wide separation of the ends of the rings at the back of the leaves enables the rings to be' readily slipped into and out of place between the back plates and these back plates by their clamping action strengthen and brace the rings, giving them the desired strength and rigidity for holding a heavy mass of leaves. Refills constructed as disclosed, can be produced at relatively low cost and the gripping and supporting structure for holding such rells also is' a simple and relatively inexpensive construction.

It will be understood that the cover 2l may be attached over the outer back plate 1 in any usual way as by rivets or glue.

I claim.: v

1. A. binder comprising opposed back plates, a cranked member for forcing said back plates toward each other, and open binder rings havin g separated ends entered between said opposed back plates.

2. A binder comprising outer and inner op posed back plates, bearings carried by the outer back plate and extending through the inner back plate and a shaft journalled in said bearings and having cranked portions engaging the inner back plate for forcing the latter toward the outer back plate.

3. A binder comprising outer and inner opposed back plates, bearings. carried by the outer back plate and extending through the inner back plate and a shaft Journalled in said bearings and having cranked portions engaging the inner back plate for lforcing the latter toward the' outer back plate, and open binder rings having spaced ends engageable between. opposite edge portions of said back plates.

'4. A binder comprising outer and inner opposed back plates, bearings carried by the outer back plate and extending through the inner back plate and a. shaft journalled in said bearings and having cranked portions engaging the inner back plate for forcing the latter toward the outer back plate, and spring 4means for separating said back plates in opposition to the thrust of said cranked portions.

5. A binder compris/ing outer and. inner op-f posed back plates, bearings carried by the outer back plate and extending through the inner back plate and a shaft journalled in. said bearings and having cranked portions engaging the inner back plate for forcing the latter 4toward the outer back plate, open binder rings having spaced ends engageable between opposite edge portions of said back plates, and means at one end of said back -plates for slidingly guiding the spaced ends of said openvbinder rings between said opposed back plates.

6. A binder comprising outer and inner opposed baek plates, bearingsl on the outer back plate projecting through the inner back plate, a shaft Journalled in said bearings and `having cranked portions engaseable with the inner back lplate to thrust the same toward the`outer back plate, handle means for rocking said crank shaft and open binder rings having separated ends engageable between opposite edge portions of said opposed back plates.

7. A binder comprising an outer back plate having bearing lugs struck forwardly therefrom, an inner back plate slidable over said bearing lugs, a shaft Journalled in said bearing lugs having cranked portions engageable with the face of the inner back plate, and open binder rings having separated ends engageable between opposite edge portions of the two backvplates.

8. A binder comprising an outer back plate having bearing lugs struck forwardly therefrom,

an 'inner back plate slidable over said bearing f lugs, a' shaft Journalledin said bearingl lugs having cranked portions engageable with the face of the inner back plate, open binder rings having separated ends engageable between opamas posits edge portions of the two back plates. a. handle on the shaft at one end oi the back plates for rocking the same in opposite directions, and

guide means at the opposite end ofthe back members for directing the ends'of the open vbinder' rings between said back members.

9. A binder comprising an outer back .plate having bearing lugs struck inwardly therefrom and leaving openings in said back' plate, spring means at the inner face of said back plate, and

entered in said openings, an inner back plate slidable over said bearing lugs and engageable with said spring means, a rock shaft Journalled in said bearing lugs and having cranked portions engageable with the inner face of said inner back plate, and open binder rings having separated ends engageablebetween said back plates.

10. A binder comprising substantially C-shaped binder rings connected together in spaced relation and having spaced inwardly extendingends at the open side ofthe same separated toenable the engagement of correspondingly perforated loose sheets thereover, opposed back plates in face-to-face relation and of a width to bridge the open side of said rings and having opposed edges for receiving and clamping between them said inwardly extended ends of the rings and means for shifting said opposed back plates towardand away from each other and for securing said plates togetherin gripping clamping engagement with said inwardly extended ends of said open rings.

11. A binder comprising substantially c-shaped binder rings connected together in spaced relation and having spaced inwardly extending ends at the open side of the same separated to enable the engagement of-correspondingly perforated loose sheets thereover, back plates bridging the open side of said rings and having opposed edges r/eceiving between them said inwardly extended ends of the rings and means securing said plates together to close the open side of said rings and thereby prevent removal of sheets engaged on said substantially c-shaped open rings, said plate securing means including` structure for guidingone plate toward and away from the other and a device for forcibly clamping the guided plate in holding engagement with the inturned ends of the rings entered between the two plates.

l2. A binder comprising substantially C-shaped binder rings connected together in spaced relation and having spaced inwardly extending ends at the open side of the same separated to enable ythe engagement of correspondingly perforated loose sheets thereover, back plates bridging the open side of said rings and having opposed edges receiving between them said inwardly extended ends oi the rings, means securing said plates together to close the open side'of said rings and thereby prevent removal of sheets engaged on said substantially C-shaped open rings, said plate securing means including structure for guiding one plate toward and away from the other, a device for forcibly clamping the guided plate in holding engagement with the inturned ends of the rings enteredbetween the two plates and spring means for yieldingly thrusting the guided plate away from the companion plate.

CHARLES C. CRUZAN. 

